Miss Fame

Last updated

Miss Fame
MJK31642 Miss Fame (Berlinale 2017).jpg
Fame at the Berlinale 2017
Born
Kurtis Frank Dam-Mikkelsen

(1985-03-30) March 30, 1985 (age 38)
Occupations
Years active2011–present
SpousePatrick Berschy (m. 2013)
Musical career
Genres
LabelsSidecar Records
Website missfamenyc.com

Miss Fame (born March 30, 1985) [1] is the stage name of Kurtis Frank Dam-Mikkelsen, [2] an American model, makeup artist, drag queen, recording artist and reality television personality best known as a contestant on season 7 of RuPaul's Drag Race . After appearing on the show, Dam-Mikkelsen as Miss Fame launched a music career, releasing his debut single, "Rubber Doll" on April 28, 2015. His debut album, Beauty Marked , was released on June 9, 2015. [3] Miss Fame appeared in numerous fashion publications.

Contents

Career

Dam-Mikkelsen worked as a male editorial model in California before moving to New York in 2011, following the advice of fashion photographer Mike Ruiz. He then started working as a makeup artist under industry icon Pat McGrath while building a celebrity clientele. At the same time he started modeling and performing in drag as "Miss Fame". [4]

Miss Fame was noticed by photographer Mary McCartney who featured her in her book Devoted. She has also appeared in Half-Drag, a photo series by Leland Bobbé which attracted international attention and was featured in Vogue Italia . [5] Miss Fame was also photographed for Gorgeous, a project by photographers Rob Lebow and Masha Kupets that involved Armen Ra, Candis Cayne, and Tammie Brown. [6] Dam-Mikkelsen works as a celebrity makeup artist in New York City, and has worked on models and celebrities including Marc Jacobs, Ève Salvail, Snooki and JWoww, Martha Wash, Wendy Williams, and Michael Urie. [7]

On December 7, 2014, during the "Ru-Veal" of the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race , Miss Fame was the first queen announced to be a contestant on the show. [8] She was eliminated in the ninth episode, "Divine Inspiration," placing her seventh overall. [9] Following her elimination, she released the music video for "Rubber Doll", which was the first single from her debut album, Beauty Marked . [10] The album was released June 9, 2015, and featured appearances from fellow Drag Race contestants Alaska Thunderfuck and Violet Chachki. [3]

In 2016, Miss Fame signed with IMG models Paris. [11]

Miss Fame has been celebrated for her high-fashion editorial work and collaborations with world-renowned photographers like Steven Klein, Giampaolo Sgura, Paola Kudacki, Armin Morbach, Ali Mahdavi, and others. Miss Fame has been featured in publications including Vogue Germany, Vogue Portugal, Vogue Paris, [12] Vogue Japan, CR Fashion Book, PAPER, [13] V Magazine, [14] LOVE, CANDY, Tush, OUT, ELLE, and others.

She contributed to the compilation album Christmas Queens 3 in 2017. [15]

In September 2018, Miss Fame performed as a background dancer behind Christina Aguilera for Opening Ceremony's Spring 2019 collection, with other Drag Race alumni. [16] She released her own makeup line called "The Fetish of Fashion" later in October. [17]

In September 2022, Pinned into a Dress, a documentary about Kurtis' life premiered at the Venice International Film Festival. The short-film highlights Kurtis journey and breakthrough in fashion, despite his trauma and addiction, growing up in a broken family. Opening the Settimana Internazionale della Critica the documentary was co-directed by Gianluca Matarrese and Guillaume Thomas. [18]

Early and personal life

Dam-Mikkelsen was born to Dolly Silveira [19] in San Luis Obispo, California. [4] He has also stated that he was raised by his grandmother, Gloria, as her own son. [20] Kurtis lives with his husband Patrick Berschy and their pet dachshunds, Mina and Shaya. [21]

In 2020, Kurtis moved to Zürich, Switzerland, with his husband. [22]

Discography

Albums

TitleDetailsPeak
chart
positions
US
Dance

[23]
US
Heat

[24]
Beauty Marked
  • Released: June 9, 2015 [3]
  • Label: Sidecar
  • Formats: Digital download
1725

Singles

TitleYearAlbum
"Rubber Doll" [25] 2015Beauty Marked
"InstaFame" [26]
"I Run the Runway"
(with Violet Chachki)
[27]
2016

Other appearances

TitleYearOther artist(s)Album
"Drag Race Theme" [28] 2015 RuPaul RuPaul Presents: CoverGurlz2
"Toyland" [29] Various Artists Christmas Queens
"Poo"2016 Lucian Piane, Pearl, Violet ChachkiRuPaul's Drag Race: The Rusical
"Chicken" Alaska Thunderfuck Poundcake
"Christmas Waltz"2017N/A Christmas Queens 3

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleRef.
2015A Change of HeartHimself [30]
2022Pinned into a DressHimself [31]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2014 Snooki & Jwoww HimselfEpisode: "What a Drag!" [32]
2015 RuPaul's Drag Race Himself (Contestant) Season 7 – Placed 7th [33]
2021 Germany's Next Topmodel Himself (Guest Judge) Season 16 – Episode 11 [34]

Web series

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2014–presentPainted by FameHimselfMakeup tutorials [35]
2015 Untucked HimselfCompanion show to RuPaul's Drag Race [36]

Music videos

TitleYearDirectorRef.
"Drag Race Theme"2015Kurtis Dam-Mikkelsen [37]
"Rubber Doll"2015Ben Simkins [38]
"InstaFame"2015Ben Simkins [39]
"Toyland"2015Carlos Maldonado [40]
"I Run the Runway (feat. Violet Chachki)"2016Ali Mahdavi [27]

Music video appearances

TitleYearDirectorRef.
"Save the Queen"
(Garek)
2012Un­known [41]
"Supermodel (You Better Work)" (2013 Edit)
(RuPaul)
2013Marco Ovando [42]
"Go All Night"
(Gorgon City featuring Jennifer Hudson)
2014Roboshobo [43]
"Opulence"
(Brooke Candy)
2014 Steven Klein [44]
"My Animal"
(Garek)
2015 Mike Ruiz [45]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
2022 The WOWIE Awards Best Beauty Guru Award (The Painted Award)HerselfNominated [46] [47]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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